Censorship
This is a list of episodes from the television series Pingu that were withheld from rotation by the Pygos Group. The Pygos Group owned the distribution rights to the Pingu library at the time, and decided to pull several episodes from broadcast because they were deemed too frightening, inapporiate, or violent for childern. The ban has been upheld by the Pygos Group and the successive owners of the SF DRS Pingu catalog to this day, and these shorts have not been officially broadcasted on television in many countries, especially the U.S. The Controversal Episodes in Season 1 Hello Pingu After Pingu slurps his spinach (or salad) with a straw causing his whole head to morph to a cream puff was removed but Pingu vomiting his spinach in the toilet isn't. Pingu doing a silly face on the mirror was edited out on the Philippines because the viewers found it inappropriate. Pingg smacking Pingu on the head was deleted due to a naughty controversy and it was almost going to be banned. It was removed on British television in 2003, Cartoon Network kept that episode earlier and it was not aired on PBS Kids Sprout. Looks After the Egg A moment where Pingu is hiding in the cupboard was cut out on the BBC due to some stereotyping. Jealousy There is a scene in this episode where Pingu is laying down on a bed and lifting himself up for a short time with his flippers. This caused the viewers to find it inapporiate. The scene was cut from Cartoon Network in the U.S., but reinstated on Sprout. Pingu Runs Away Pingu Runs Away was banned due to a scene where Mother spanks Pingu after the latter ruined dinner, the concept of Pingu running away, which many people found depressing, and then the disturbing sculptures looking like a deformed skull and angry dwarf knome or elf. The episode has been placed on official bans since the 1990s, and has not aired in the U.S. Music Lessons This doesn't really count as a controversy by most fans, but music in the original dub of this episode was copyrighted, and the producers failed to get a clearance for it. Hit Entertainment's redub changed the music. This caused problems at certain parts of the new dub at the end, because Pinga is drumming on the chamber pot out of beat to the music. Little Accidents Little Accidents is the most popular ban. In the episode there are clips where Pingu and Pinga urinate on the floor, Father sitting on the toilet, and Pingu is reading a book on the toilet. 3-4 minutes into the episodes' original airing, SF DRS recieved numerous complaints saying that the episode was crude and not funny. A huge controversy was caused, and Pingu was posibly going to be cancelled, and they were debating whether they should air next week's episode. Several episodes the channel thought would be deemed controversial (e.g., Pingu at the Doctors), were delayed (Pingu at the Doctors was delayed to season 2). Pingu's Dream This episode was placed on unofficial ban from broadcast distribution because it contains a giant grotesque-looking tuskless walrus that moves in very strange, disturbing ways trying to capture Pingu and was considered frightening and very scary for young children. It was also removed from rotation on British television in 2003, and was one of the few episodes pulled from Cartoon Network and not shown on Sprout. Pingu and Pinga at Home In the early version, Pingu said "Oh, my God!" when he looked at the clock with Pinga, when the time on the clock said 11:05pm. On Cartoon Network, the scene was edited out (for fears over blasphemy). Sprout, however, left that scene intact. Ice Hockey This episode was almost going to be banned as it contained ice hockey, and some people feared it would promote the violent nature of the sport. The Controversal Episodes in Season 2 Pingu at the Doctor's This episode has been banned in some countries (except USA) due to showing of blood when Pingu bangs his beak. Pingu's Admirer Viewers thought two signs said Petrostrokia and Glasnost, and caused a mini controversy on wherever it was promoting communism or not. This episode was not censored or banned, because this aired after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Pingu the Babysitter Much like "Little Accidents", this episode contains uncensored urine, but it was never banned. Because of the "Little Accidents" incident, this was censored for the first few airings. The Controversal Episodes in Season 3 Pingu Pretends to Be Ill In the original airing, Pingu is seen in the beginning going to the bathroom with urine coming out. This was cut in subsequent airing, but eventually was reinstated. Pingu Quarrels With His Mother A scene where Mother slaps Pingu was cut out on the BBC. No crude episodes were produced after this, after a threat to cancel Pingu. They said the 4th season would have to be completely clean or they were going to cancel it. Pingu ended up ending anyway because of low ratings and schedule issues at the end of season 4. The slapping scene was kept in on some airings, such as in Canada.